Walk together, right now: First-ever Unity in Community prayer walk

Santa Barbara County and Santa Maria officials are joining forces to “take back the city—Peace by Piece” from drugs, violence, and gang activity through the first-ever Unity in Community prayer walk and event on March 1.

Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino, Police Chief Ralph Martin, Fire Chief Dan Orr, and Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown recently helped make a video for the event calling on local residents to get acquainted and educated at the event.

At 9 a.m., people will start walking from the corner of Broadway and Cook Street to the Santa Maria Fairpark at 937 S. Thornburg St., where there will be almost two dozen resource booths and several performers on hand. The walk route will be closed to traffic to ensure people’s safety.

“We’re going to have a children’s area with face painting, balloons, and magic,” said Debra Cloud, who is co-organizing the event with Tara Presley. “We’re also going to have a bounce house and games.”

Cloud said worship teams will speak and sing songs in Spanish and English, and there will also be bilingual prayer tents. The free event is open to all kinds of faith groups and community members. Vendors will be selling food onsite.

“It’s a day to reach out to the community and to unite,” Cloud said. “[We want] to let people know about the resources that are available to the community.”